The present invention relates to a retractable device holding assembly and more particularly to a new and improved retractable device holding assembly which permits a utilitarian device to be removably installed therein and, once installed, to be extended for use and thereafter retracted for compact storage at a site of the user""s choosing.
The use of various means to prevent loss or damage to a free-falling lighter or other like-sized utilitarian device has previously been considered by the art as evidenced, inter alia, by Design Patents 114,210; 152,386; 163,563; 186,052; and 267,597, which show various means for storing a cigarette lighter as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,082,496, 4,486,169 and 4,898,532 which disclose the use of a retractable tether to return a lighter to an auxiliary storage site unit when the lighter is not in use. While each of the devices provide means for securing a lighter or alternative utilitarian device from free-fall loss or breakage, they all were limited as to size and shape and required a number of supplemental elements which added both to the cost and the complexity of utilizing their benefit to secure and control the location of the lighter or like shape, size or utility device when not in use as well as adapting the device for use with the variety of disposable lighters or other devices of various sizes currently available in the market place. Accordingly, a need still exists for an improved retractable device holding assembly which is economical to produce, easy to install, minimizes the number of auxiliary parts, does not require the user to wear special garments (such as the vest required by Johnson), and which is readily functional with any of the various disposable lighters or alternative devices of various utilitarian functions currently in the market place. It is toward these ends that the present invention is directed.
The present invention relates to a unique retractable device holding assembly comprising a spring loaded retractor assembly containing an extendible thread having a relatively flexible polycarbonate type ring permanently connected at the free end thereof by an interlocking attachment assembly for securing said ring in circumscription about the body of a disposable lighter (commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ccigarette lightersxe2x80x9d, but equally capable of lighting cigars, pipes, birthday candles and the like) or similarly sized or shaped utilitarian devices. The retractor assembly further comprises a clip means for removable attachment to the owners belt, pocket, collar, cigarette pack, key ring, purse or any like location of choice to provide an attractive, handy, secure, and relatively inexpensive source of flame or other utilitarian function where and when such source is desired.
As will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof, the assembly of the present invention overcomes all of the deficiencies present in the prior art devices in a relatively simple though clearly unobvious, solution to the problems manifested by the afore-cited prior art which demonstrates over thirty years of inadequate attempts to achieve this end.
Accordingly, it is the prime object of the present invention to provide a new and improved retractable device holding assembly that has all of the advantages of the prior art device holding restraints and none of the disadvantages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved retractable device holding assembly that may be easily and economically manufactured and marketed, and at the same time provide, inter alia, a useful marketing tool for businesses such as convenience stores, gas stations, casinos, tobacco companies, and the like.
A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved retractable device holding assembly that is durable and reliable in construction.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an attractive and highly versatile retractable device holding assembly, which is able to accommodate any of the number of disposable hand lighters or similarly utilitarian devices in the market place, irrespective of their shape or size to provide the benefits hereof.
These and still further objects, as may hereinafter appear, are fulfilled by the present invention in a remarkably unexpected fashion as can be readily discerned from careful reading of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, especially when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts bear like numerals throughout the several views.